


Maybe Because

by curledupdreamer



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 03:53:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3635631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curledupdreamer/pseuds/curledupdreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy and Annabeth have been friends since childhood. But one tickle fight may change everything between them, for better or for worse. One-shot. Modern AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe Because

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a big fan of the ending, but kudos and comments are greatly appreciated since this is my first fanfic on Ao3.

“So what should we do now?” Percy asks. Annabeth’s head looks up from her textbook.

“Um, study. Isn’t that why I’m here? Aren’t you failing algebra?” She asks, pointing at the open algebra book in front of him.

Percy groans and falls back on the couch, “But we’ve been at it for almost 4 hours! I think my dyslexia is acting up. Is this a b, or a d?” He asks dramatically, pointing at a very clear t.

Annabeth just rolls her eyes and looks back down at her textbook. 

“How about,” Percy starts, “we play 20 questions.”

Annabeth gives him an incredulous look, “You mean the game that middle schoolers play so that the guys can figure out the girls’ bra size and if they’ve had their period yet or not. Besides, I think you already know everything about me.”

Percy pauses, “Well I’m not a middle schooler, and I do already know everything about you, especially that your bra size is 34C and that you’ve had your period, because you are horribly bad at hiding your used tampons at my house.”

The mortified look on Annabeth’s face sends Percy into hysterics. “Y-you-r, you-ur face!”

Annabeth’s cheeks turn a deep shade of pink and she buries her head into a pillow. Percy’s laughing dies down and he starts whispering, “Annabeth... Aaaannnnabetttthhhh.”

Silence.

“Come on, Wise Girl. I was just joking.” He pouts.

Annabeth’s stormy gray eyes peek out from the top of the pillow. “Why are you always so mean to me?”

“You know you love me,” he smiles, poking her in the stomach.

The small gesture emits an enormous squeal from Annabeth. Percy pauses, “Oh that’s right, you’re extremely ticklish.”

“No I’m not...” She trails off, edging away from him a little.

A sly smile spreads across Percy’s face. 

“No,” Annabeth raises her hands up in protection, “keep your torturous fingers away from me.”

In a flash, Percy is on top of Annabeth. Digging his fingers into her sides and into her neck. The attack has an immediate effect on Annabeth. Her girlish squeals and giggles fill the room.

“St-top!” She screams in between the giggles, pushing at Percy’s hands. Somehow Annabeth is able to flip them over so that she’s on top of Percy. She decides that giving Percy a taste of his own medicine will be the best idea. But when she tries to tickle him, his reaction isn’t exactly the reaction Annabeth was hoping for. 

Percy is laughing, but he’s not laughing because of her, he’s laughing at her.

“I’m not ticklish,” he says, “at all.”

Annabeth sits up and crosses her arms, “This is no fair.”

Percy wraps his arms around her and turns them so that he’s on top again, and he starts to slowly move his fingers against her stomach again.

“Please!” Annabeth shouts, “No more! I call a truce!”

Percy stops and looks up, realising that his and Annabeth’s faces were closer than he thought they’d ever been before. Annabeth is gasping for breath, still recovering from her laugh attack, her eyes dancing.

Percy’s gaze doesn’t leave her eyes. He thinks that they are the most captivating things he’s ever seen. His eyes flit down to her lips then back up again, and hers do the same. 

Before Annabeth can do anything, Percy’s lips are pressed against hers. 

She’s suddenly very self-conscious, and she freezes up. But when Percy’s hands cup her face she melts into the kiss, pressing her lips against his with just as much force.

They’ve never done anything like this before; sure they’ve hugged and shared a few kisses on the cheek, but Percy’s never kissed her. Annabeth wraps her arms around his shoulders and lifts herself up so that they’re sitting with their legs tangled underneath them.

Annabeth feels Percy press his tongue against her lips, as if asking permission. Without any hesitation Annabeth opens hers as well, trying to get as close to him as possible. 

Percy finally breaks away and gasps for breath, his eyes meeting hers and his lips pulling up into a smile. 

“What was that?” Annabeth exclaims, sounding a mix of angry and scared. 

Percy’s smile disappears and turns into a look of fear, “What do you mean?”

Annabeth quickly pushes away from him, and stands up, reaching for her bag.

“Annabeth, wait” Percy says, standing up and grabbing Annabeth’s arm to turn her around. 

“Why did you kiss me?” She demands, tears brimming in her eyes, the giddiness from earlier gone.

Percy looks taken aback, “Why wouldn’t I kiss you.”

“Maybe because we’re just friends,” she says, “maybe because that’s all we’ve ever been. Maybe because you want to play games, just like you always do”

Percy waits a moment to respond, and Annabeth fears that she’s ruined it. That he’ll tell her to leave, tell her that their 6 year friendship will be over all because of this single, stupid thing.

Instead of yelling, instead of angrily telling her to go, Percy speaks softly, “Maybe because I’ve always wanted to kiss you. Maybe because I think I might be in love with you.”

Annabeth is speechless. In love with me? That’s impossible. She thinks.

But then, it wasn’t so impossible. She remembers all the memories they have, good and bad. She remembers when Luke died of cancer and Percy was there. She remembers when her stepmother would kick her out for a night, and she and Percy would lie in his bed together, him holding her while she cried.

Suddenly, she knew it definitely wasn’t impossible.

Annabeth looks up, meeting his eyes which weren’t showing the happiness they usually do, because he thinks he is going to lose his best friend forever.

Leaning forward, she places a long, lingering kiss on Percy’s soft lips, pulls back and presses her forehead against his, meeting his eyes, and whispers.

“Maybe because I might be in love with you too.”


End file.
